


end of summer

by quakeriders



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Light Angst, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22532170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quakeriders/pseuds/quakeriders
Summary: After two months away from home, Rhys had finally made up his mind.And taken Mor’s advice to heart.He would tell her.
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Comments: 45
Kudos: 87





	end of summer

**Author's Note:**

> \- posted a snippet for six lines sunday on tumblr, the people wanted more. so have a high school au. this is all i have for this fic, and i'm currently workshopping another high school au idea sooooo.... have fun with what we got.

Rhys’ palms were clammy. He couldn’t help but keep wiping them on his jeans every few seconds. Azriel, who was sitting right beside him, had noticed and kept shooting him questioning glances.

Cassian, however, sitting in the passenger seat, talking animatedly to their mom, had no idea about how Rhys was slowly spiralling.

Neither of them could have known the reason either way. Rhys was fairly sure that if Mor where in the car with them, it would have taken her a single look to know exactly what was going through his mind.

Because his cousin Mor was the only person who Rhys had confessed his deepest secret to. Not even his best friend in the world knew. Well, she especially didn’t know. Her not knowing  _ was _ the secret.

And that was about to change.

After two months away from home, Rhys had finally made up his mind.

And taken Mor’s advice to heart.

He would tell her.

“And they said, if we return next year, we can take part in the Great Rite.” Cassian told their mom, his voice full of determination and glee.

Rhys glanced up in time to see his mother’s face in the rearview mirror. She gave Cassian a gentle smile, but something in her eyes made Rhys think that she wasn’t too thrilled about it.

He could understand. Her mother had grown up with in a place like that. She had been raised by people like Devlon, who had spent the last two months training Rhys, Cass and Az in the most gruelling way possible.

They had loved and hated it in equal parts.

At first it had been torture.

Neither of them were in bad shape exactly. But running ten laps around the lake at 5.30 in the morning wasn’t something either of them could do without feeling like shit.

But, the results spoke for themselves.

While all of them had grown taller, their bodies had also taken on a different shape. Their shoulders had grown wide - Cassian’s being the widest. Their arms and legs looked well defined and Rhys had to admit that they no longer looked like lanky teenagers, but as his mother had said - fine young men.

And he secretly hoped that his best friend would like this new version of him, too.

A phone rang and their mother said, “Cass, be a dear and answer it.”

Cassian took their mom’s phone and held it up to his ear. “Hello?”

Almost immediately, he cringed at the shrill voice that even Rhys could hear from the back seat.

“Calm down, Morrigan.” Cass laughed, holding the phone away from his head. Despite that, he was grinning. “We’re almost there.”

Mor prattled off something else and Cassian chuckled, turning in his seat to look at his brothers. “The girls are already waiting for us.”

Rhys’ heart leapt.

He wiped his hands on his jeans again and this time, both his brothers watched with raised brows.

Rhys shrugged in return. “It’s too hot in Velaris. I got used to the Illyrian mountains.”

Cassian snorted, hanging up the phone, while Az pursed his lips.

But Cass hadn’t been lying when he told Mor that they were almost home. Not five minutes later, their car pulled into the driveway and Rhys’ heart skipped a beat.

Two girls were lounging on the swinging chair on their porch.

They had been laughing, but stopped at the sight of the car.

Rhys’ throat felt dry and itchy and full of glass. Suddenly, he felt less sure about his decision. Any and all ways that this could go wrong, came into his mind.

But before he could lose himself in that, the car had parked, Cass and Az had jumped out and he was left alone in the car with his mom.

“Aren’t you going to run off, too?” She asked, turning to look at him.

Rhys swallowed. He was fairly sure that he must look like he was on the verge of passing out.

One good look and his mother’s eyes softened. “Ah. I see.” She said, her voice incredibly low and understanding. Then, she smiled.

Rhys somehow did and did not want to talk about it. It felt weird that his mom knew, but she was also his mom. Of course, she had known. And a small part of him wanted to ask her for advice.

Her smile widened and then the door of the car was pulled open and his best friend was grinning down at him. “What are you still doing in here? Get out!”

The sight of Feyre Archeron after not seeing her for two months hit him like a blow in the gut.

It felt as though a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown over him and he wondered if he was having a heart attack.

She was gorgeous. Grinning down at him, grey-blue eyes wide and sparkling. The freckles around her nose were only accentuated by the slight tan she had gotten over the summer. And, oh-

Rhys’ brain came to a rattling stop as his eyes dropped from her face.

She was wearing a white t-shirt, tight and clinging to her, and jeans shorts. And her legs-

Swallowing hurt as he forced his eyes back up to her face.

And he must have looked like the shell-shocked fool that he was, because now Feyre had begun frowning.

“Rhys?” She asked, stepping closer. “Are you okay?”

His mother laughing softly was what made him finally snap back. His lips pulled into a smile because no matter how much the sight of her had floored him, he had missed Feyre terribly.

So, he sprang out of the car and before she had a chance to stop frowning, had pulled her into a tight hug.

Feyre giggled, wrapping her own arms around his waist.

She smelled sweet and fruity and Rhys couldn’t help but notice the way her hands fisted in his shirt at his back.

“Wow, you’ve grown even taller than Az.” Feyre muttered as they let each other go.

She had to tilt her back now to look into his face. Rhys gave her a small smile, noticing the glimmer in her eyes as she took him in.

“Thanks. I guess?” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“C’mon, you two.” Mor shouted from the porch, her arms slung over both Cass and Az’s shoulders and grinning like a cat. “I’m starving and we’ve been waiting for you for ages.”

Feyre rolled her eyes, snorting softly. “We’ve been here for like ten minutes.” She told Rhys, but took hold of his arm and began pulling him towards the house.

Now. He needed to do this now.

Before he went inside. Before he lost his nerve. Before they were surrounded by his family.

“Feyre, wait.” He said.

She stopped, frowning again.

But Mor and the boys had already slipped into the house, Rhys’ mom following them in right after.

Standing here, in his own driveway with Feyre blinking up at him, Rhys felt like his heart might burst out of his chest.

“You’re acting weird.” She told him.

Blunt as always.

He loved that about her. Well, that and so much more.

That was the problem, wasn’t it? Actually, it wasn’t a problem.

“I need to tell you something.” Rhys said, slipping his hands into his pockets and taking a deep breath.

A faint smile was playing on Feyre’s lips now. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and nodded for him to go on.

“Okay-” She scrunched up her nose, looking adorable.

Rhys swallowed, then he cleared his throat. “I- um.”

Something sparked in Feyre’s eyes and for a second, Rhys thought she had figured it out, but then she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking utterly exasperated. “What is it, Rhys? Don’t tell me getting buff made you dumb.”

He let out a choked laugh and gathered his courage.

“I love you.” He said, breathless.

Her eyes narrowed, flitting over his face and Rhys added, “I mean, I’m in love with you, Feyre.”

Her mouth fell open and she took a rattling breath.

And just because now that he had said it, it seemed like he couldn’t shut up, Rhys went on, “I wanted to tell you for so long, but I never had the courage to do so. But these last two months, I missed you so much and I thought you deserved to know how I feel about you because you’re my best friend and I tell you everything and I-”

Feyre’s eyes were wide, her arms had fallen limply to her sides and she was barely blinking.

“Feyre?” Rhys asked, his voice low. “Please, say something.”

She swallowed, hard. And then she said, “Rhys, I have a boyfriend.”

**Author's Note:**

> :) did u like it?


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